Should student projects be designed by teachers or students? They should be designed by students, they can choose a topic that they would prefer or something that isn't too hard on them. Sometimes teachers assign work that is difficult for students to complete, and without a teachers help during the summer you could be lost with the directions they give you. Teachers could give out a really confusing rubric for the project, a student might not understand what they must do to meet the proper criteria for the project. The teacher is out for summer break too, they probably dont have the time to check their e-mail constantly to help you out when your stuck so if students would design their own projects they wouldnt have the stress and hardship of a teacher designed project.

If students could design their own projects they would be able to work freely without a confusing rubric and the trouble of having to wait for a teacher to e-mail you back. Not all students want to be told by teachers to make a diorama or make a poster, some students dont have the time or resources for that, If its the summer then students want to be out on vacation, helping out their parents, or getting jobs. If they could create a project that doesnt interfere with that then that would be great for them. If they are able to manage their time then they can take time making a project instead of rushing through it to get it done in what little time they have.

But assigning this task to students is a great way for them to show their work ethic, some students could surprise their teacher by showing them how well they can accomplish a task without someone supervising them the whole time. Its a great way for them to be prepared for life after school. Sometimes you will have to complete tasks on your own with no help and you need to be prepared for that or its going to be hard on you if you've never had an experience before hand.

Student designed projects are also a great way for students to be creative and to show their creativity. If all the students were assigned a project on the same exact topic, many of them will turn the same exact projects in. But if they were able to have creative control then they can diversify their projects, lets say you were assigned a history project, this project was about photosynthesis, Many students would turn in a plant cell thats labeled with all the parts of the cell and then they would either label a paper with how plants photosynthesize or why they do it. Most if not all of the projects would be similar, unless they were able to choose them on their own. If they could choose they could do a project on How the Rocky Mountains were formed, or how active the Ring of Fire is. Then the projects would be more interesting to not only the teacher but the students.

Another reason on why students should have the freedom to create their own projects is that they wouldnt have been assigned a project that they find boring, The chances are if a student is bored with their work, they are not going to do a good job on it. They didnt have the motivation of learning or finding it interesting, they just simply want to get it done and over with. But if they do a project they find interesting, not only could they be happy with their work but they would would most likely preform a better job than if they didnt. Not only would they be satisfied with being able to have freedom over their work, but they would be satisfied with the work they put into it.